Dublin’s Christ Church Cathedral forced to close doors due to Easter Rising parade

One of Ireland’s best-known cathedrals, Christ Church, in Dublin, has been forced to shut its doors to worshipers on Easter Sunday.Tourism Ireland

One of Ireland’s best-known and most ancient cathedrals has been forced to shut its doors to worshippers on Easter Sunday by the organizers of the 1916 Easter Sunday parade.

Gardai have requested that the front gates of Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin remain locked for Easter Sunday.

In addition, a traffic cordon will close off the city center to all vehicles from 6 a.m. and will remain in place until 8 p.m.

Church of Ireland Primate, Archbishop Michael Jackson, has criticized the parade organizers for their lack of consultation.

The archbishop, Ireland’s most senior Anglican churchman, said, “This decision was made without consultation with the dioceses and there is a considerable sense of disappointment and sadness.”

Parishioners who now won’t be able to attend services locally on Easter Sunday are being invited to Church of Ireland parishes in the city’s suburbs.

Jackson questioned the wisdom of holding the parade on Easter Sunday and not Easter Monday.

A spokeswoman for the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin said that St. Mary’s Pro Cathedral was the only Catholic church that was likely to be difficult to access when the cordon was in place.

She said the archdiocese was “in discussions with the organizers to try and improve access” to the Pro Cathedral, which gave shelter to people during the week of the Rising. She added that “Mass will be definitely celebrated there on Easter Sunday.”